Guess I wasn't the only one.  

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Phil Scovell
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 3:31 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Unbelievable!

Steve,

I must admit, I fell for it at first and decided I would become a callless
bootlegger so it sounded legit on the surface.  In today's government,
nothing would surprise me.

Phil.
K0NX



----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 12:30 PM
Subject: Re: Unbelievable!


> Ahhh, phil, you 'ol party pooper.  You just spoiled all the fun.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 2:28 PM
> Subject: Re: Unbelievable!
>
>
>> Sounds like an April fools joke to me.
>>
>> Phil.
>> K0NX
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Steve" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 10:35 AM
>> Subject: Unbelievable!
>>
>>
>>> KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog =BB Blog Archive =BB Unbelievable!
>>> list of 1 items
>>> . KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog=20
>>> list end
>>> =20
>>> Search!=20
>>> Rate Me on eHam.Net
>>>
>>> Unbelievable!
>>> =20
>>> This from Jim, WB8AZP, via the=20
>>> ARROW
>>> mailing list:
>>>
>>> block quote
>>> Buried in the middle of the 1200-page Health Care Reform package is =
>>> something that should be disturbing to all US amateur radio operators. =
>>> Embedded in the
>>> funding guidelines section 415, paragraph 27, line 45, are details on =
>>> one of the mechanisms that the government intends to employ to help pay 
>>> =
>>> for the staggering
>>> costs of the new plan.
>>>
>>> To put it simply, the new health care guidelines support the notion of =
>>> creative funding from untapped resources, and from other government =
>>> agencies, like
>>> the FCC. This puts the burden on funding on other agencies, and =
>>> therefore the health care reform pundits can claim that "they" didn't =
>>> introduce any new
>>> taxes to pay for everything.
>>>
>>> Lurking in the depths of the new health carecare package is a time bomb 
>>> =
>>> waiting to affect all US Amateur Radio Operators; The new Talk And Pay =
>>> (TAP) Tax..
>>> What does the TAP Tax do? Well, just as it implies, it adds a tax on to 
>>> =
>>> each amateur license, based on usage of the bands.
>>>
>>> The FCC knew it was going to be troublesome to enforce this kind of =
>>> regulation, so they came up with a clever scheme - taxation by license =
>>> class. All Technician,
>>> General, and Extra Class Licensees will be taxed at a different rate. =
>>> Any holdover licenses from different classes will be taxed at the next =
>>> higher rate,
>>> so novice license holders will be taxed as technicians, advanced holders
>>> =
>>> as extra class licensees and so on. The logic is that higher class =
>>> licenses can
>>> use more of the frequencies; therefore they pay a larger percentage. =
>>> There are even paragraphs that define taxing stations that haven't =
>>> operated, (although
>>> you have to prove that by filing a waiver), stations where the license =
>>> holder has become a silent key (a different waiver), and repeater or =
>>> space stations
>>> (when the license is held by a non-profit group, you can apply for a =
>>> waiver as well). They legislators have even thought of the mechanism to 
>>> =
>>> capture revenue
>>> from youngsters, in their special Tax On Eventual Earnings (TOE) tax. =
>>> So, a youngster who is not working will pay into a TOE TAP TAX account, 
>>> =
>>> in the form
>>> of a debit owed to the government. Even retirees do not escape this tax,
>>> =
>>> as there is a provision for the SNAP TAP TAX (Sure Not Accounting for =
>>> Productivity).
>>>
>>>
>>> There does seem to be a provision for testing down to a previous license
>>> =
>>> class, so you can get a tax break by forfeiting your current license =
>>> class, (after
>>> taking a new 50 question written exam, and paying a hefty 45 dollar =
>>> examination fee). You'll be then required to sign BCKTP in CW or "slash 
>>> =
>>> Back Tap" in
>>> voice.
>>>
>>> This looks to be pretty well thought out. I stopped reading after seeing
>>> =
>>> the FCC amateur radio entry. It appears that Cell phones and wireless =
>>> data networks
>>> will be next. There are 20 other government agencies listed in the =
>>> document. Where will this insanity end? All of this is scheduled to go =
>>> into effect on
>>> April 1, 2011, because there apparently wasn't enough time to implement 
>>> =
>>> it before then.
>>>
>>> If this doesn't negatively impact the growth of amateur radio, I don't =
>>> know what will! I think it will also promote the notion of going really 
>>> =
>>> underground,
>>> and not using your callsign at all., actually a practice that I've =
>>> already heard lots of people adopt, especially on VHF.
>>>
>>> I called my congressman after reading all of this, and he said that =
>>> there are already proposals being filed to allow credit for amateur =
>>> radio operators
>>> involved in public service, and he called it the Support for Individuals
>>> =
>>> Desiring to Engage in Services Training, Education, and Planning =
>>> (SIDESTEP). That
>>> makes me feel a little better.
>>>
>>> I think it just might be time to get rid of my gear, before all this TOE
>>> =
>>> TAP, SNAP TAP, BACK TAP, and SIDESTEP stuff goes into affect. Once =
>>> again, the government
>>> is here to help you.
>>>
>>> block quote end
>>>
>>> By: Dan KB6NU |=20
>>>
>>>
>>> "Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to =
>>> live at the expense of everybody else."=20
>>> -Frederic Bastiat
>>>
>>> Steve
>>> Lansing, MI
>>>
>